After an unremarkable year in LFL Division 2, Lille Esport are set to overhaul nearly their entire roster ahead of the upcoming season. According to sources close to Sheep Esports, the oldest organisation competing at the second tier of French League of Legends will retain only one player: jungler Karim "Karim kt" Aubineau. At the heart of Lille’s project since last year, the veteran has established himself as a key figure within the club. Karim kt was expected to remain under the Lille Esport banner regardless this season, either as a player or as part of the staff. The new format, combined with the opportunity to qualify for the LFL through the LFL Invitational, ultimately convinced him to extend his playing career.

To build around him, the northern club has brought back a familiar face in Marley "Vespa" Benezech. Having previously played for Lille Esport in 2023, the hyper-aggressive AD carry was part of the most successful campaign in the organisation’s history. That year, the team finished third in both splits — with Karim kt for the Summer — and qualified for the Up&Down tournament, falling just short of promotion to the national elite.

According to our sources, a return for Vespa had already been considered last year. Fresh off a victory at the 2025 Hitpoint Masters Summer and having competed in his first EMEA Masters a few months ago, Vespa agreed to return largely due to the renewed chance to reach the LFL. An opportunity that has so far eluded him, despite, among other things, tryouts with Karmine Corp in 2023, which ultimately led to the signing of Caliste "Caliste" Henry-Hennebert.

A limited budget

This duo formed the foundation upon which Lille Esport chose to build. Given the uncertainty surrounding the number of matches the team may play during the Invitational — with some teams eliminated after just three games — Lille Esport has openly acknowledged its decision to keep a tight budget for this opening split. In the toplane, the club has reached a verbal agreement with Gia Huy "Addusto" Khuat, a player already familiar with Division 2 who competed last season in the Prime League with ROSSMANN Centaurs. Addusto joined Lille Esport relatively late in the offseason: shortlisted by numerous ERL1 teams, he ultimately did not find a project in Tier 2, which emerged as a golden opportunity for the northern club.

For the midlane, Lille Esport turned to Koussay "Koussay3" Soltani, a profile closely monitored throughout the 2025 season by the club’s management, which was satisfied with his "consistent progress" at GNG GnG Amazigh. The 20-year-old is also keen to continue his studies, aligning well with Lille Esport’s project. The club was not looking to recruit full-time players for an Invitational that, in its view, would not provide sufficient time to establish solid foundations.

Glopo returns to competition

Finally, in the support role, Lille Esport secured the services of Simon "Seneca" Bucht. According to our sources, the organisation had been interested in working with the Swedish player for the past three years, and he was ultimately convinced by the rest of the roster.

To guide this lineup, Lille Esport will allow Frédéric "Glopo" Sialelli to return to competition. A caster with OTP since the middle of the 2023 season, the former coach had been eager to make a comeback and will therefore rejoin an active roster. He will benefit from the flexibility of a project that leaves significant room for SoloQ, with a limited number of scrims, allowing him to continue his other professional activities. Glopo is also well acquainted with Karim kt, having previously worked alongside him at GamersOrigin — the predecessor of Team GO, then Galions — in 2021.

This roster was assembled with the clear ambition of qualifying for the LFL. According to our information, the players are not expected to continue competing in Division 2 (now Nexus League) should the club fall short of that objective, although the door would remain open should the formula prove effective.